Written Answers

Thursday 8 June 2000

Scottish Executive

Adoption

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many adoptions were granted in the years 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 and 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: The following table sets out the information which is recorded on the number of adoptions which were granted in the years 1995 to 1999.

  


Year 


1995 


1996 


1997 


1998 


1999 




Adoptions 
granted 


508 


485 


369 


400 


388

Children’s Hearings

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to the requirements of the European Convention on Human Rights, what steps are being taken to ensure that legal advice is available at the outset rather than at the appeal stage of children’s hearings.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The children’s hearings must act in the best interests of the child. Legal advice is available prior to the hearing; during the hearing on an advice and assistance basis, and at any appeal. However, this issue and other matters related to hearings are currently under consideration as part of the Executive’s audit on ECHR compliance.

Community Care

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what further progress it has made in implementing the Carers’ Strategy for Scotland.

Iain Gray: We have been working closely with carers’ organisations and local authority representatives on implementing key measures set out in the strategy. Authorities now have their share of the £10 million ear-marked under the strategy for carers’ services, including respite care. Monitoring arrangements, notified to authorities on 27 April, will ensure that these resources are used appropriately. The Carers’ Legislation Working Group is currently considering new legislative proposals to better address carers’ needs. These proposals will be issued for public consultation later this year.

  A three-week national media campaign to alert carers to the strategy and the NHS Helpline as a source of advice and support was launched on 28 April. From 1 April the helpline has been able to provide information and advice to carers on a range of issues, including access to local support groups, short-break services and financial assistance. Adverts appeared in national daily, evening and Sunday papers and on all local radio stations across Scotland.

  Information packs for young carers have from the end of last month, been made available to all primary, secondary and independent schools, providing useful contact numbers, advice on rights to services and details of young carer support projects throughout Scotland.

  Finally, national voluntary sector organisations which support carers have been invited to bid for a share of £200,000 this year to help them with their work in implementing the strategy.

Council Tax

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the percentage of pensioners who received council tax benefit in the last year for which figures are available.

Mr Jack McConnell: Social security benefits including housing and council tax benefits are reserved matters and are the responsibility of the DSS.

Dog Fouling

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of disease caused by exposure to dog fouling have been reported within the NHS in Scotland in each of the last three years, broken down by region.

Susan Deacon: A number of gastrointestinal infections may theoretically be contracted by humans through contact with dog faeces. But there are many other possible routes for infection whereby humans may contract such infections and it is not therefore possible to identify those connected with dog fouling. There was one reported occasion in 1997 and none in 1998 or 1999 when the organism toxicara canis , which may cause serious disease in humans and may be contracted from dogs or foxes, was isolated from humans in Scotland.

Drug Misuse

Mike Watson (Glasgow Cathcart) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources are being made available to assist agencies in identifying the cause of the recent deaths of heroin users in Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Angus MacKay: The Glasgow and Aberdeenshire DATs and health boards are currently carrying out an investigation into the cause of the recent deaths. They are liaising with each other, as well as with voluntary groups and experts from the medical professions from around the world on this issue. Extra funding to assist the investigations has not been requested, and the Scottish Executive has no plans to make funding available specifically for this purpose. The Scottish Executive is being provided with daily updates on the investigation of this issue.

Education

Michael Matheson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of any guidance issued to local authorities on behavioural management techniques.

Mr Sam Galbraith: General guidance on Special Educational Needs is contained in the Scottish Executive Manual of Good Practice for all staff and professionals involved with children and young people with special educational needs which was issued in January 1999. Further information on good practice in behaviour management techniques can be found in the publications Taking a Closer Look at Promoting Social Competence and Sharing Good Practice , both Scottish Executive-funded projects. In addition, the Scottish Executive conference on Alternatives to Exclusion, held on 17 January 2000, provided the forum for local authorities to exchange theories and best practice on topics including behaviour management. The conference report to be published in March was sent to all authorities for dissemination to staff and other professionals.

Education

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, following the Riddell report, whether the new National Special Educational Needs Forum will give early consideration to what steps are needed to simplify and speed up the process of creating a Record of Need and, in particular, to laying down a code of practice which sets out minimum standards.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The forum will, as a priority, review all aspects of the Record of Needs process, including the guidance set out in the SEN Manual of Good Practice .

Education

Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what are the latest figures available for the average hours of physical education per week received by pupils in (a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools in S1 and S2, (c) secondary schools in S3 and S4 and (d) secondary schools in S5 and S6.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Information on the average hours of physical education received by pupils in primary schools is not collected centrally. However, in the 5-14 curriculum (covering P1–S2), national guidelines recommend that education authorities and schools have a minimum time allocation of 15% for the expressive arts (including physical education). In addition, schools have a 20% flexibility factor in designing the curriculum and may devote some of this time to physical education.

  For secondary schools, the latest information available is from a survey of the secondary school curriculum carried out in 1997. The survey data relates to publicly funded secondary schools and indicates that approximately 90 minutes of physical education per week is received by S1 and S2 pupils and 115 minutes per week by S3 and S4 pupils. Information on the average hours of physical education received by S5 and S6 pupils is not available from the survey. However, 63% of pupils in S5 and 39% of pupils in S6 participated in National Certificate or Higher courses in physical education.

Education

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider its guidance to local authorities to allow easier access to children requesting assessment of educational needs.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Special Education Needs Advisory Forum will as a priority review all aspects of the Records of Needs process and will advise on revisions to the guidance.

Education

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms or incentives are in place to allow joint funding by health and education authorities to provide innovative visual aids to young people with visual impairment.

Mr Sam Galbraith: Health boards have a statutory duty to comply with requests for help from local authorities to assist them in fulfilling their duties under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. This includes assisting local authorities to meet their statutory duty to provide services for children with visual impairment and to design services so as to minimise the effect of this impairment. This may include the use of visual aids to enable these pupils to access the curriculum. Funding arrangements are a matter for agreement between local authorities and health services.

Employment

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to target investment in skills and lifelong learning to the job vacancies that currently exist.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive fully appreciates the need to articulate learning, training and skills development with opportunities for employment. Our Programme for Government has been designed to create the conditions for a lifelong learning culture; and also to ensure that education and training provision is relevant to the needs of employers and employees. Learndirect Scotland and the new Scottish Labour Market Intelligence Unit will have crucial roles to play in predicting the needs of the labour market and in matching these needs to relevant provision.

Enterprise

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the economic competitiveness of Glasgow.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is committed to supporting the Glasgow Alliance and the Joint Economic Strategy for Glasgow published by Glasgow Development Agency and Glasgow City Council as members of the Alliance in 1999. The main aim of that strategy is to build on Glasgow’s distinctive qualities to develop a dynamic, internationally competitive economy which creates wealth and provides quality, sustainable work opportunities for all the residents of the city.

Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in attracting new jobs and industry to Hamilton North and Bellshill.

Henry McLeish: The local enterprise company (LEC) for Hamilton North and Bellshill is Scottish Enterprise Lanarkshire (SEL – formerly known as Lanarkshire Development Agency). SEL have developed the Strathclyde Business Park as one of Scotland’s premier business locations and some 3,500 jobs have been created through the 100 companies that are now located there.

  SEL have also been instrumental in developing the Lanarkshire Enterprise Zone (LEZ) and Eurocentral as one of nine sites that form the LEZ. Over £50 million of public money has been invested in Eurocentral together with £10 million of European Regional Development Funding. In January 2000, SEL entered into a Joint Venture Agreement to invest £15 million in the development to the remaining part of the Eurocentral site and to attract new investment.

  Tannochside Park was the first LEZ site to be fully developed and it has created some 2,300 jobs through the 31 companies located on this site. It is estimated that businesses located at Tannochside Park have injected £70 million into the local economy.

Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in attracting new jobs and industry into the Kilmarnock and Loudoun area.

Henry McLeish: The main public sector agency for economic development in Kilmarnock and Loudoun is Scottish Enterprise Ayrshire (SEA).

  SEA is active in attracting new businesses to Kilmarnock & Loudoun and in expanding existing companies. First Choice has created 450 jobs at Rowallan Business Park and SEA is actively marketing the site to other potential investors.

  SEA is also active in supporting local companies to grow and in partnership with East Ayrshire Council supports the East Ayrshire Business Partnership which supported 61 start-up companies across East Ayrshire in 1999-2000, provided training to over 1,300 people and helped the development of over 100 projects by local companies.

Enterprise

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce unemployment by encouraging new business start-ups and by providing support for existing small- and medium-sized businesses in West Dunbartonshire, and what impact these efforts are having on business birth and survival rates in West Dunbartonshire.

Henry McLeish: Wider national economic performance is likely to be the main determinant of trends in small business creation, and employment opportunities, and the prospects for the Scottish economy remain good. However, we have a number of specific initiatives in hand to increase the number of start-up businesses assisted by the enterprise network, and to improve the quality and consistency of advice and support for small businesses across Scotland. We will announce details of these shortly.

  In West Dunbartonshire itself, Scottish Enterprise Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire Council and other partners have a number of local schemes in place to enhance business and employment creation. The current claimant unemployment rate in the area has dropped by 25% since April 1997.

European Funding

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Regional Selective Assistance boundaries will be finalised.

Henry McLeish: This is a reserved matter.

  I understand that agreement has not yet been reached between the UK Government and the European Commission on a revised Assisted Areas map.

Geese

George Lyon (Argyll and Bute) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to allow white-fronted goose numbers to be controlled by shooting in line with present policy in England and Wales.

Sarah Boyack: We have no plans for changes to current arrangements. Having considered the issue, the National Goose Forum (NGF) recommended that Ministers endorse the status quo,  subject to regular review. Public consultation on the NGF report revealed no significant opposition to the recommendation. Indeed it was explicitly endorsed by the National Farmers Union of Scotland and the Scottish Crofters Union. In early May this year the recommendation was accepted by Ministers along the majority of the 34 NGF recommendations.

  Provisions under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 differ between Scotland and England & Wales because the white-fronted geese, which over winter in Scotland, belong to a separate Greenland sub-species (Anser albifrons flavirostris). This sub-species is listed in Annex 1 of European Council Directive 79/409/EEC ("the Birds Directive") as one which requires special protection.

  Limited shooting of white-fronted geese is permitted under licence in Scotland (under section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act and by derogation from the Birds Directive) for the specific purpose of preventing serious damage to crops and foodstuffs for livestock.

Health

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2943 by Susan Deacon on 17 December 1999, whether it now has any plans to provide a dedicated brain injury rehabilitation unit for children and teenagers in Scotland.

Susan Deacon: I expect to receive the report of the Neurosurgery Working Group, with their advice on this issue, shortly.

Health

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to audit the impact on healthcare provision of variations in the number of NHS beds over the last three years.

Susan Deacon: It is for health boards, working with NHS Trusts and other partners, to determine the number of hospital beds required to meet assessed need in their respective areas, taking account of local circumstances.

  The Scottish Executive supports a number of national initiatives, including clinical audits that regularly review the changing requirements for general and specialised beds, and the distribution of comparative information on actual bed use, to inform assessments of local need.

Health

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what charges an NHS Trust makes to the NHS for a triple heart bypass operation.

Susan Deacon: Three NHS Trusts in Scotland undertake bypass surgery. The cost to the NHS of a bypass operation is as follows:

  


Grampian 
University Hospitals NHS Trust 


£6,200 




North 
Glasgow University Hospital NHS Trust 


£6,400 




Lothian 
University Hospitals NHS Trust 


£5,700 




  No distinction is made as to the relative complexity of the surgery. The figures therefore apply to all coronary artery bypass surgery.

Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5502 by Susan Deacon on 5 April 2000, whether it will consider all possible factors, not just the psychological ones, affecting the condition Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis before adapting or adopting the findings of the Chief Medical Officer’s working group.

Susan Deacon: I would expect that the Chief Medical Officer’s Working Group itself will have considered all possible factors affecting the condition. The help of the ME Alliance was sought to ensure that the group reflects a broad range of both patient and professional opinions. There are representatives of the disciplines of neurology, microbiology, and immunology as well as psychiatry on the Reference Sub-Group, which also includes patients and carers.

Health

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-5503 by Susan Deacon on 5 April 2000, whether it will consider Scottish medical opinion on all possible models of the condition Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis before adapting or adopting the findings of the Chief Medical Officer’s working group.

Susan Deacon: I would expect the Chief Medical Officer’s Working Group itself to have considered all possible models of CFS/ME before making its report. We will certainly be seeking the views of our own medical advisers on the report, and if they think it would be advisable to consult NHS colleagues then this will be done.

Higher Education

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to enable those from disadvantaged areas to gain entry to higher education.

Henry McLeish: Measures such as the £50 million student support package recently announced, fee waivers and loans for the most disadvantaged part-time students and the funding of an additional 2,000 places in higher education institutions by 2002 should provide real help to those from disadvantaged areas. Also, I have charged the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council to work with institutions to examine their performance in recruiting from areas currently under-represented in higher education.

Highlands and Islands Airports

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the announcement of 30 May 2000 regarding the resurfacing of the main runway at Wick Airport, what plans it has to improve the condition of the cross runway.

Sarah Boyack: Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), which operates Wick Airport, will consider the case to rehabilitate the cross runway at Wick Airport against the competing expenditure priorities at all the company’s 10 airports.

Housing

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide a detailed breakdown of Scottish Homes investment levels in Hamilton North and Bellshill since May 1999.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Between 1 May 1999 and 31 May 2000 Scottish Homes have invested some £0.609 million in Hamilton North and Bellshill. This includes:

  


Capital investment in new and 
improved homes 


£0.252 million 




Revenue Grants (Special Needs 
Allowance Package) 


£0.100 million 




Revenue expenditure - Housing 
Management 


£0.257 million

Housing

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide a detailed breakdown of Scottish Homes investment levels in Kilmarnock and Loudoun since May 1999.

Ms Wendy Alexander: Between 1 May 1999 and 31 May 2000 Scottish Homes have invested some £0.778 million in Kilmarnock and Loudoun. This includes:

  


Capital 
investment in new homes for social rent or sale 


£0.732 
million 




Revenue 
Grants (Special Needs Allowance Package) 


£0.046 
million

Influenza

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that it has a strategy to ensure that everyone over 75 was offered an influenza vaccination in autumn 1999 and whether it will outline the details of that strategy.

Susan Deacon: The Chief Medical Officer for Scotland issues a letter annually to medical practitioners, including GPs, which reflects advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, providing details of the particular strains of the influenza virus circulating that year and identifying the groups considered to be at risk, for whom vaccination is recommended. Since 1998 all people aged 75 and over have been included in the "at risk" categories. It is considered to be good clinical practice for GPs to manage the requirements of their "at risk" patients by advising them of the availability and benefits of vaccination.

Influenza

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that health boards encourage NHS staff to get vaccinated against influenza next winter and in subsequent years.

Susan Deacon: Along with ministerial colleagues in the other UK Health Departments, I have asked the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation to review its present advice on the immunisation of healthcare workers against influenza. We await the committee’s advice, which will help inform the arrangements we make in future years.

Justice

Brian Adam (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to allay any public concerns regarding the forensic science service and in particular fingerprinting services.

Mr Jim Wallace: Following the recent expressions of concern about the integrity of the fingerprint service at the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO), HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary (HMCIC) was invited to undertake an inspection of the acquisition, examination and presentation of fingerprint evidence including a review of the training, skills and quality assurance aspects of the SCRO operation. The inspection is still ongoing and the Inspectorate will make recommendations on any matters on which it concludes there were shortcomings or scope for improvement. A report of the inspection will be published in accordance with HMCIC’s independent role and in the interests of public accountability.

Justice

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken by the Scottish Legal Aid Board to prevent solicitors from taking out additional court actions in neighbour disputes on behalf of several different members of the same household using legal aid.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Legal Aid Board requires solicitors to indicate on an application for civil legal aid whether there are any other interested parties in the case. The board then associates any applications from such parties and ensures that they are considered together. In the case of interdicts, there may be good reason why separate actions are necessary and this is matter of professional judgment by the solicitor acting for the parties.

Land Reform Bill

Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to abolish "ransom strips" in the forthcoming Land Reform Bill.

Angus MacKay: No.

Local Government

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether North Lanarkshire Council acted within its powers in suspending all community councils with effect from 31 May 2000 and requiring each community council to return all holding funds.

Mr Frank McAveety: Section 22(2) of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1973 contains provisions for local authorities to either revoke or amend a community council scheme and make new schemes in their area. It is for individual local authorities to ensure that any actions they take comply with existing legislation.

Mental Health

Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions have been held with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the NHS Management Executive to co-ordinate the planning and funding of mental health strategies.

Iain Gray: The leaders and chief officers of local authorities, health boards and NHS Trusts attended a seminar led by the Minister for Health and myself in November at which joint working and the effective delivery of services for all community care client groups, including people with mental health problems, was discussed. That has led to the setting up of the Joint Future Group, which I chair. It consists of NHS and CoSLA representatives.

Millennium Canal Link

Mr Lloyd Quinan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what economic benefit will accrue from the opening of the Millennium Canal Link.

Sarah Boyack: Economic and environmental benefits will accrue from this exciting and innovative project. We expect an increase in income from tourism, the creation of new jobs and a regeneration of urban areas along the canal’s length.

Multiple Sclerosis

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-2385 and S1W-2386 by Susan Deacon on 13 January 2000 and 30 November 1999, whether it will specify the total annual cost of providing beta interferon treatment to the 163 people who received this treatment in the year to 30 November 1999.

Susan Deacon: It is not possible to specify the total annual cost of providing beta interferon treatment. Data collected centrally relates to prescribed items dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors. The cost of drug treatments given in hospital is not available centrally.

Multiple Sclerosis

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that an investigation of the clinical and cost-effectiveness of beta interferon as a treatment for multiple sclerosis sufferers is an early priority of the new Health Technology Assessment Board for Scotland.

Susan Deacon: I have written to the Health Technology Board asking them to provide advice on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of beta interferon as a treatment for multiple sclerosis as an early priority.

NHS Funding

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3061 by Susan Deacon on 18 February 2000, what proportion of the £100 million expected saving has been re-invested in patient care since the Trust reconfiguration in April 1999.

Susan Deacon: The implementation of the White Paper, Designed to Care , will provide savings of £100 million over a four-year period from 1998-99, by reducing bureaucracy and abolishing the "internal market" within the NHSiS.

  All the savings achieved are retained by individual health boards and NHS Trusts. It is for them to determine how the savings are best used to improve patient care, after taking into account local priorities.

NHS Funding

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what is the number of intensive care and high dependency beds and the level of new equipment that will be provided from the funding package announced on 22 February 2000, and what use will be made of the remaining funds.

Susan Deacon: An additional £13.8 million has been made available to the NHS in Scotland. £6.8 million is to be spent on intensive care and high dependency beds and on new equipment, with the remaining £7 million to be used to meet local priorities. It is for health boards, working with NHS Trusts, to determine how best to use the additional resources in light of local needs and circumstances.

  The Chief Medical Officer has established a short-life group to examine how intensive care and high dependency services can be improved. The group will look at ways of improving the flexibility of these services and of matching provision with need. Health boards will be expected to take full account of the group’s recommendations when taking decisions about how their share of the additional £6.8 million should be used.

NHS Funding

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much notice was given to health boards regarding spending the additional money provided to the health programme by Her Majesty’s Government under the Barnett formula.

Susan Deacon: Health boards were informed about the additional money on 22 February 2000. Health boards can carry forward these funds into the 2000-01 financial year if required.

NHS Hospitals

David McLetchie (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the reports that repairs to the roof of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh are necessary and, if so, to detail (a) the nature and extent of the repairs required, (b) when and how the Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust became aware that repairs were necessary, (c) when the Scottish Executive was made aware of the situation and (d) whether the Scottish Executive will provide financial support to meet the repair costs.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive is aware that repairs are necessary to the roof of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.

  The Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust first became aware of the nature and extent of the repairs required to the roof of the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh following maintenance to the roof of one of the hospital’s associated buildings last year. An inspection programme was then commissioned last summer that revealed problems with the building’s decorative and structural stonework, slates and associated leadwork. A thorough investigation was then conducted and the full extent of the problem became clear last December. This is when the Scottish Executive was first made aware of the state of repair of the roof at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.

  It is the responsibility of the Lothian University Hospitals NHS Trust to ensure the buildings owned by the Trust are safe and secure and to meet any costs involved in carrying out repairs.

National Lottery Awards

Michael Russell (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the National Heritage Lottery Fund with regard to support for Scottish museums.

Rhona Brankin: None. The allocation of National Lottery funds is a matter for the distributing bodies themselves.

New Deal

Allan Wilson (Cunninghame North) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how effective the New Deal has been in providing jobs for young unemployed people in North Ayrshire and in Scotland in general.

Henry McLeish: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which therefore takes the lead on the funding and delivery of New Deal throughout Great Britain, although in close consultation with its partners, including the Scottish Executive. Many partner organisations at local level also provide New Deal services under contract or provide funds and other resources, including training funds to enhance the quality of New Deal in their areas. The public and voluntary sector organisations, which contribute in this way, fall within the remit of the Scottish Executive.

  The table below shows the relevant figures (up to March 2000) for young people gaining jobs since the New Deal began in April 1998.

  

 

Numbers 
into Unsubsidised Jobs 


Numbers 
into Subsidised Jobs 


Total 
Into Jobs 




Cunninghame 
North 


411 


62 


473 




Cunninghame 
South 


434 


92 


526 




North 
Ayrshire 


845 


154 


999 




Scotland 


20,900 


3,340 


24,240

New Deal

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to detail, by constituency, the number of young people on the New Deal, and the number at each stage within the New Deal programme, namely (a) Gateway, (b) a New Deal option, (c) Follow-Through and (d) employment.

Henry McLeish: Employment policy is reserved to the UK Government which therefore takes the lead on the funding and delivery of New Deal throughout Great Britain, although in close consultation with its partners, including the Scottish Executive. Many partner organisations at local level also provide New Deal services under contract or provide funds and other resources, including training funds to enhance the quality of New Deal in their areas. The public and voluntary sector organisations, which contribute in this way, fall within the remit of the Scottish Executive.

  The table below shows for each constituency in Scotland the number of clients at each stage of the New Deal for Young People as at the end of February 2000.

  




Total 


Gateway 


Options 


Employer 


FTET 


VS 


ETF 


Follow 
Through 




Aberdeen 
Central 


145 


87 


38 


10 


14 


6 


8 


20 




Aberdeen 
North 


85 


56 


15 


6 


4 


2 


3 


14 




Aberdeen 
South 


76 


51 


14 


3 


7 


3 


1 


11 




Airdrie 
& Shotts 


312 


134 


126 


23 


33 


23 


47 


52 




Angus 


238 


104 


98 


31 


26 


17 


24 


36 




Argyll 
& Bute 


182 


78 


68 


15 


14 


8 


31 


36 




Ayr 


238 


105 


83 


27 


19 


19 


18 


50 




Banff 
& Buchan 


79 


33 


34 


8 


21 


2 


3 


12 




Caithness, 
Sutherland & Easter Ross 


134 


40 


67 


9 


32 


8 


18 


27 




Carrick, 
Cumnock & Doon Valley 


368 


154 


136 


55 


22 


34 


25 


78 




Central 
Fife 


333 


152 


130 


37 


61 


14 


18 


51 




Clydebank 
& Milngavie 


209 


111 


76 


21 


31 


6 


18 


22 




Clydesdale 


268 


83 


137 


47 


50 


23 


17 


48 




Coatbridge 
& Chryston 


242 


120 


93 


32 


14 


11 


36 


29 




Cumbernauld 
& Kilsyth 


164 


72 


63 


20 


26 


8 


9 


29 




Cunninghame 
North 


276 


157 


82 


32 


16 


24 


10 


37 




Cunninghame 
South 


425 


211 


138 


54 


41 


32 


11 


76 




Dumbarton 


300 


132 


101 


23 


46 


8 


24 


67 




Dumfries 


265 


135 


75 


24 


36 


7 


8 


55 




Dundee 
East 


367 


165 


133 


45 


30 


30 


28 


69 




Dundee 
West 


360 


143 


149 


57 


34 


25 


33 


68 




Dunfermline 
East 


198 


76 


91 


14 


44 


16 


17 


31 




Dunfermline 
West 


169 


68 


68 


7 


37 


9 


15 


33 




East Kilbride 


187 


80 


69 


41 


22 


3 


3 


38 




East Lothian 


103 


39 


39 


23 


6 


4 


6 


25 




Eastwood 


150 


80 


35 


13 


10 


7 


5 


35 




Edinburgh 
Central 


124 


59 


47 


10 


23 


12 


2 


18 




Edinburgh 
East & Musselburgh 


139 


78 


42 


14 


8 


14 


6 


19 




Edinburgh 
North & Leith 


182 


101 


59 


11 


21 


14 


13 


22 




Edinburgh 
Pentlands 


138 


74 


39 


8 


13 


10 


8 


25 




Edinburgh 
South 


129 


59 


51 


17 


15 


10 


9 


19 




Edinburgh 
West 


104 


62 


28 


14 


8 


3 


3 


14 




Falkirk 
East 


223 


92 


79 


36 


24 


8 


11 


52 




Falkirk 
West 


278 


128 


86 


42 


25 


7 


12 


64 




Galloway 
& Upper Nithsdale 


185 


76 


83 


42 


19 


16 


6 


26 




Glasgow 
Anniesland 


312 


155 


115 


21 


42 


33 


19 


42 




Glasgow 
Baillieston 


378 


163 


161 


28 


41 


37 


55 


54 




Glasgow 
Cathcart 


237 


100 


101 


27 


39 


21 


14 


36 




Glasgow 
Govan 


362 


170 


125 


25 


50 


23 


27 


67 




Glasgow 
Kelvin 


233 


122 


73 


4 


51 


13 


5 


38 




Glasgow 
Maryhill 


355 


169 


126 


26 


46 


30 


24 


60 




Glasgow 
Pollok 


302 


130 


110 


18 


62 


14 


16 


62 




Glasgow 
Rutherglen 


207 


87 


70 


28 


28 


5 


9 


50 




Glasgow 
Shettleston 


306 


145 


107 


22 


38 


26 


21 


54 




Glasgow 
Springburn 


416 


231 


121 


18 


54 


19 


30 


64 




Gordon 


75 


34 


28 


9 


8 


8 


3 


13 




Greenock 
& Inverclyde 


220 


121 


67 


8 


20 


20 


19 


32 




Hamilton 
North & Bellshill 


293 


144 


104 


29 


32 


28 


15 


45 




Hamilton 
South 


265 


106 


116 


37 


30 


10 


39 


43 




Inverness 
East, Nairn & Lochaber 


115 


51 


43 


12 


18 


5 


8 


21 




Kilmarnock 
& Loudoun 


335 


149 


126 


33 


44 


32 


17 


60 




Kirkcaldy 


341 


142 


133 


26 


61 


9 


37 


66 




Linlithgow 


189 


93 


58 


15 


8 


19 


16 


38 




Livingston 


172 


103 


44 


15 


7 


15 


7 


25 




Midlothian 


114 


42 


52 


22 


12 


3 


15 


20 




Moray 


134 


62 


43 


19 


5 


12 


7 


29 




Motherwell 
& Wishaw 


343 


148 


146 


32 


47 


31 


36 


49 




North 
East Fife 


93 


42 


36 


10 


12 


7 


7 


15 




North 
Tayside 


128 


46 


53 


13 


13 


12 


15 


29 




Ochil 


287 


141 


109 


32 


36 


14 


27 


37 




Orkney 
& Shetland 


53 


20 


28 


15 


4 


3 


6 


5 




Paisley 
North 


235 


86 


94 


17 


29 


25 


23 


55 




Paisley 
South 


204 


82 


85 


20 


18 


22 


25 


37 




Perth 


130 


71 


46 


24 


8 


10 


4 


13 




Ross, 
Skye & Inverness West 


149 


54 


74 


27 


28 


8 


11 


21 




Roxburgh 
& Berwickshire 


144 


48 


70 


17 


25 


11 


17 


26 




Stirling 


156 


74 


58 


17 


30 


5 


6 


24 




Strathkelvin 
& Bearsden 


162 


53 


74 


34 


15 


5 


20 


35 




Tweeddale, 
Ettrick & Lauderdale 


112 


42 


57 


15 


7 


20 


15 


13 




West Aberdeenshire 
& Kincardine 


71 


32 


27 


10 


11 


5 


1 


12 




West Renfrewshire 


116 


46 


40 


12 


7 


11 


10 


30 




Western 
Isles 


82 


24 


52 


21 


14 


2 


15 


6 




Total 


15,201 


6,923 


5,644 


1,629 


1,852 


1,016 


1,147 


2,634 




  FTET = Full-Time Education and Training

  VS = Voluntary Sector

  EFT = Environment Task Force

Planning

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in preparing legislation to transfer to Scottish local authorities full planning control over marine developments in Scottish coastal waters.

Sarah Boyack: Primary legislation will be required to introduce planning controls over marine aquaculture developments. I intend to issue a consultation paper later this year.

Planning

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Crown Estate Commissioners on proposals to transfer to Scottish local authorities full planning control over marine developments in Scottish coastal waters and what the outcome of any such discussions was.

Sarah Boyack: Discussions have taken place on a number of issues including the procedures relating to marine aquaculture developments. These will help inform the future regulatory framework for such proposals.

Planning

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the costs currently borne by Shetland Islands Council and Orkney Islands Council as a result of exercising their statutory planning powers over aquaculture developments in the sea around their islands and whether such costs should be refunded to Shetland and Orkney Islands Councils from the aquaculture rents collected by the Crown Estate Commissioners.

Sarah Boyack: No such assessment has been made. This is a matter for the respective councils in Orkney and Shetland. The management of the Crown Estate is reserved to Westminster.

Planning

Tavish Scott (Shetland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the costs currently borne by Scottish local authorities as a result of the work they undertake for the Crown Estate Commissioners in assessing planning applications for aquaculture developments off their coastlines and whether such costs should be refunded to local authorities from the aquaculture rents collected by the Crown Estate Commissioners.

Sarah Boyack: No such assessment has been made. This is a matter for the individual authorities who have sought a greater role in decisions about the siting of aquaculture developments. The management of the Crown Estate is reserved to Westminster.

Poverty

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3721 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 27 January 2000, whether West Dunbartonshire can expect to benefit from the full range of support measures which the Executive has put in place to assist Glasgow’s regeneration in the light of the economic and social problems it shares with the city.

Jackie Baillie: The Executive recognises that there is no single easy solution to regeneration and it will take long-term concentrated action to tackle social injustice all across Scotland. We have a range of actions in place that West Dunbartonshire, like Glasgow, benefits from, including for example, the Special Deprivation Allowances made to certain local authorities and the Social Inclusion Partnership which targets those areas of particular disadvantage and which has also just received extra support for tackling drugs misuse. Parts of West Dunbartonshire have also been proposed for inclusion in the Assisted Area Map. Taken together our actions aim to achieve lasting change and improvements to the quality of life for the people in West Dunbartonshire, in Glasgow and elsewhere in Scotland where disadvantage exists.

Poverty

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline its policies for tackling racism in Scotland.

Jackie Baillie: The Executive is committed to tackling racism and promoting race equality. We are doing this in partnership with Scotland’s ethnic minority communities. Our forthcoming equality strategy will be informed by dialogue with the communities and input from the Race Equality Advisory Forum and the Lawrence Action Plan Steering Group which we have set up.

Rail Network

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to reduce the number of stations on the Perth to Inverness railway line.

Sarah Boyack: No.

Rape

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the First Minister whether he will make a statement about the cross-examination of victims in rape trials.

Mr Jim Wallace: Scottish Ministers have instructed that proposals are developed to prevent an accused person charged with a sex offence from cross-examining a victim personally and to strengthen provisions restricting cross-examination on sexual history. Work has already begun on considering how this can be done while ensuring that the accused receives a fair trial.

Roads

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been allocated in grant aided expenditure to local authorities to spend on maintaining council roads in each of the last four years expressed in (i) real terms and (ii) as spend per mile of road to be maintained.

Sarah Boyack: In cash terms the Grant Aided Expenditure allocated to local authorities in each of the last four financial years for road maintenance is as follows:

  

 

£000 




1997-98 


139,569 




1998-99 


130,846 




1999-2000 


130,939 




2000-01 


133,046 




  The Scottish Executive does not have information on the expenditure per mile of road. The Grant Aided Expenditure is not a spending target or limit but contributes towards the calculation of each local authority’s total grant allocation. It is for each council to determine its own spending priorities within the resources available to it and decide how much to spend on road maintenance.

Schools

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated value is of the outstanding repair and maintenance requirements of primary schools in Hamilton North and Bellshill.

Peter Peacock: The overall management of their school building stock is a matter for individual education authorities. Detailed information of the kind requested is not held centrally.

Schools

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated value is of the outstanding repair and maintenance requirements of primary schools in Kilmarnock and Loudoun.

Peter Peacock: The overall management of their school building stock is a matter for individual education authorities. Detailed information of the kind requested is not held centrally.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the operation of Social Inclusion Partnerships is regulated.

Jackie Baillie: As well as operating under the Monitoring Framework , published in December 1999, and conforming to grant conditions, the Social Inclusion Partnerships report on their progress in annual reports, submit quarterly financial returns to the Executive and are subject to annual appraisal by Executive officials. All the SIPs have clear strategies and objectives and are appraised on their progress against these. The annual reports are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been awarded to Social Inclusion Partnership projects in Glasgow, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many organisations in Glasgow are currently in receipt of Social Inclusion Partnership funding, broken down by parliamentary constituency.

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much Social Inclusion Partnership funding has been awarded in total to projects in the Glasgow City Council area.

Jackie Baillie: The funding allocations to Social Inclusion Partnerships in Glasgow in 1999-2000 and 2000-01 are shown in the following table. Details of the funding provided by each partnership to individual projects and organisations are not maintained centrally.

  Social Inclusion Partnership (SIP) Fund allocations to Glasgow-based partnerships, 1999-2000 and 2000-01

  


Name of Social Inclusion Partnership 


Parliamentary 
constituency or constituencies in which SIP is located 


1999-2000
£000 


2000-01
£000 




Glasgow East End SIP 


Glasgow Shettleston
Glasgow Springburn 
Glasgow Baillieston 


2,800 


2,853 




Glasgow North SIP 


Glasgow Maryhill
Glasgow Springburn 


3,300 


2,972 




Greater Easterhouse SIP 


Glasgow Springburn
Glasgow Baillieston 


3,400 


3,476 




Drumchapel SIP 


Glasgow Anniesland 


1,875 


2,547 




Gorbals SIP 


Glasgow Shettleston 


563 


764 




Greater Govan SIP 


Glasgow Govan 


375 


509 




Greater Pollok SIP 


Glasgow Pollok
Glasgow Cathcart 


1,725 


2,343 




Milton SIP 


Glasgow Maryhill 


200 


764 




Springburn SIP 


Glasgow Springburn 


200 


764 




Glasgow Anti-Racist Alliance 
SIP 


City-wide 


593 


743 




Big Step – Pathways to Independence 
SIP 


City-wide 


378 


513 




Glasgow Routes out of Prostitution 
SIP 


City-wide 


188 


256 




Castlemilk Partnership1


Glasgow Cathcart 


2,530 


2,400 




Glasgow Regeneration Programme2


City-wide 


1,100 


1,128 




TOTAL 


19,227 


22,032 




  Notes:

  1. The Castlemilk Partnership is not a Social Inclusion Partnership. It is a regeneration partnership originally established under the New Life for Urban Scotland initiative, but it does receive funding from the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund.

  2. The Glasgow Regeneration Programme is not a Social Inclusion Partnership. It is a regeneration partnership established under the Programme for Partnership initiative, but it does receive funding from the Social Inclusion Partnership Fund.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for the designation of an area as a Social Inclusion Partnership Area.

Jackie Baillie: The Social Inclusion Partnership Programme was established in April 1999. The 26 new Partnerships were selected on the recommendation of an Advisory Group, drawn from membership of the Scottish Social Inclusion Network. The criteria used were listed in guidance provided to bidders.

Social Inclusion Partnerships

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the operation of Social Inclusion Partnerships.

Jackie Baillie: Arrangements for monitoring the performance of Social Inclusion Partnerships were set out in the Monitoring Framework , published in December 1999. The framework requires partnerships to monitor their progress according to a number of key measures and report on these in their annual reports. The Monitoring Framework is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Social Justice

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to publish its social justice action plan.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The social justice action plan has two parts, firstly the work within the Communities portfolio on "empowering communities" and secondly the work of delivering on the social justice milestones. A consultation on the former will be published before the parliamentary recess. The second part is being taken forward by all the Executive’s departments and is being discussed in the context of the Spending Review.

  But meanwhile a summary of action already underway to deliver on our social justice targets and milestones will be published shortly.

Special Advisers

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-687 by Donald Dewar on 26 August 1999, what the total cost is to date, broken down by month, of employing the current seven special advisers including salary, expenses and travel and support staff and whether it is yet in a position to make an announcement about the arrangements for special advisers’ pay.

Mr Jim Wallace: I refer to Donald Dewar’s replies to question S1W-1612 on 16 September 1999, to question S1W-2650 on 22 November 1999 and to question S1W-3302 on 6 March 2000. As indicated in the answer to S1W-2650, the pay ranges were increased by 2.9% on 1 April in line with the recommendations made by the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) for the Senior Civil Service paybands. This means the current allocations are:

  Range 1 (minimum of £17,143-maximum of £33,482)

  One Adviser

  Range 2 (minimum of £29,006-maximum of £53,902)

  Four Advisers

  Range 3 (minimum of £42,755-maximum of £85,047)

  Three Advisers.

Tourism

David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in achieving a "Joined up Government" approach to the granting of permission for road signs, given the implications for tourism.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Tourist Board (STB) is the first port of call for all tourist-related signage applications. Thereafter, the Scottish Executive Road Network Management and Maintenance Division assesses the road safety issues in line with the Trunk Road and Motorway Tourist Signposting Policy which was developed following extensive consultation with interested parties including the STB.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to assist or promote the use of motorbikes, scooters and other powered two wheelers.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive recently issued guidance to local authorities to assist them in preparing their full Local Transport Strategies. This provides advice on the contribution powered two wheelers can make in delivering integrated transport policies.

  The Executive proposes to legislate in the forthcoming Integrated Transport Bill to give powers to local authorities to provide devices for the secure parking of powered two wheelers.

  Officials from the Executive meet regularly with motorcycle representative groups to discuss issues relating to powered two wheelers as a viable transport mode.

Transport

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to ensure that bus companies cannot withdraw services for purely financial reasons.

Sarah Boyack: The provision of local bus services is a matter for the commercial judgment of individual bus operators. If bus services cannot be run on a commercial basis, local transport authorities have powers to subsidise services which meet an identifiable social need. The Scottish Executive’s Transport Bill proposals, however, are aimed at the development of a partnership approach between local authorities and operators to deliver better quality services and to provide greater stability on service provision.

Voluntary Sector

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in developing a funding regime for the voluntary sector which reflects ministerial commitment to the introduction of three-year funding regimes as set out in its document The Scottish Compact .

Jackie Baillie: The Scottish Compact sets out the principles underpinning the relationship between government and the voluntary sector in Scotland. The Executive has a commitment to work with other funders to create a more stable funding environment for the sector at both national and local level. This is shown in the Executive’s own commitment to three-year funding. The Executive also recognises that funding is a key issue for voluntary organisations and is developing a more strategic approach to its own funding of the sector.

  As part of the implementation of The Scottish Compact, good practice guidance on funding has been consulted on and will be published on 13 June.

Warm Deal

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the current spend estimates for Warm Deal contained in table 2.6 of the Annual Expenditure Report of the Scottish Executive, 2000.

Ms Wendy Alexander: A breakdown of the current spend estimates for Warm Deal for 2000-01 is set below. No decision has been taken on the breakdown of the plans for 2001-02.

  

 

2000-01
£ million 




Annual Expenditure Report 


13.0 




Local Authority Expenditure* 


3.2 




EAGA Partnership Ltd Expenditure** 


9.8 




  * For works carried out by local authorities to their own stock.

  ** For works carried out by EAGA’s (Energy Action Grant Agency) Registered Installers to all housing stock, including local authority stock.

Water Industry

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to withdraw the statement on investment in the water industry contained on page 40 of Rural Scotland: A New Approach.

Sarah Boyack: No, the Scottish Executive does not plan to withdraw this statement as it states accurately our commitment to investment in water and sewerage services, including those in rural areas.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Holyrood Project

Allan Wilson (Cunninghame North) (Lab): To ask the Presiding Officer how many apprentices are employed, or will be employed, in the construction of the Scottish Parliament.

Sir David Steel: It is for individual "trade package" contractors to decide upon the number of apprentices they employ. At present, there is one apprentice employed on the Holyrood site. This figure will improve as the trade packages that traditionally attract more apprentices are let. It is likely that the industry norm of one apprentice to every four skilled workers will eventually be reached.